Spain’s boat migrants can’t stop appearing

THE number of boat migrants arriving in Spain has increased by almost 400%, based on statistics from January last year.

A total of 4,104 people arrived in 98 boats last month, up from 1,396 arrivals in January last year.

This follows a report that Spain has become the most popular route into Europe for migrants and refugees, coming from the continent of Africa.

Figures released last month by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, showed the number of arrivals in Spain, via the Western Mediterranean route, doubled in 2018 to 57,000, taking over from Italy as the most active migratory corridor.

The dramatic decline of illegal crossings into Italy, which fell by 80% in 2018 compared with 2017, came after a controversial deal that saw Italy training and financing the Libyan coastguard to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean.

Meanwhile, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has enabled the country to welcome migrant boats and charity ships, denied access by other European countries.

On Tuesday, the Spanish Maritime Rescue were said to have saved 278 people from three boats across the Alboran Sea.

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Posted by admin
on Feb 8 2019. Filed under Local News.
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